Electrical connector assemblies used in automotive and other applications often employ a large number of terminals and therefore require a large mating force to ensure a secure connection between the male and female connectors. Significant frictional forces from the terminals and housings must be overcome to properly join the connectors. However, assembly specifications for these connector assemblies include maximum mating force limits to prevent damage to the connectors or terminals during mating and to insure that an operator can easily and reliably mate the two connectors. These opposing constraints must both be satisfied for a connector assembly to function properly.
Conventional electrical connectors have employed levers, cams, slides, and a variety of mechanical devices to assist operators in joining those connectors that contain a large number of terminals and therefore provide significant frictional resistance. One approach used to overcome high mating forces is to employ a lever as a mechanical assist device with which to join the connectors. Lever-type devices rely on an increased moment to overcome frictional forces by applying a mating force at a distance from the fulcrum. Similarly, the use of cam systems rely upon a similar transfer of forces over distances by transferring non-linear motion into linear movement and as such, a greater linear distance between two connectors may be spanned by moving the cam over a relatively smaller non-linear distance. Connectors are drawn together to a mated position by moving the cam and engaging a cam follower.
While these methods of converting smaller applied forces into larger mating forces have been employed in the past, problems occur when the connectors are not properly aligned prior to applying the mating force, or when the connectors become misaligned as the mating force is applied. This can result from improper initial alignment of the connectors, as well as misalignment due to a fluctuating or inconsistent applied force. Prior attempts to overcome these challenges have fallen short in suitably addressing both concerns simultaneously. That is, there is a lack of a suitable connector that may apply an appropriately large and uniform mating force while ensuring the connection is properly made along the mating axis without either connector becoming misaligned.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,354 appears to disclose an electrical connector with an actuating lever that is pivotally mounted to one side of the connector assembly. The actuating lever includes a cam groove. Additionally, a slide member is mounted on the actuating lever and moves linearly as the actuating lever pivots. The slide member includes a cam follower projection that engages in the cam groove of the actuating lever. The slide member also has a second cam groove. The second side of the connector assembly has a second cam follower projection that engages in the second cam groove of the slide member. As the actuating lever pivots, the slide member moves linearly relative to both sides of the connector as the cam follower projections engage the cam grooves, and the connector sides mate and un-mate in response to the lever action. However, the '354 patent fails to disclose means with which to suitably align the entire connector assembly during the mating action while simultaneously guarding against actuation of the cam mechanism when the connector is not properly mated.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,458 appears to disclose an electrical connector assembly with an actuating lever pivotally mounted to a first connector. The actuating lever has a cam groove formed therein. A second connector has a cam follower projection to engage in the cam groove of the actuating lever. The connectors are mated and un-mated in response to the rotation of an actuating lever. The '458 patent, however, fails to disclose means with which to suitably align the connectors prior to engaging the cam system as well as to overcome higher mating forces required by multi-pin and multipart connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,175 is another example of an electrical connector that appears to employ a camming system for mating and unmating a pair of electrical connectors. The '175 patent discloses a lock slide member mounted on one of the housings and movable along a path transverse to the mating axis. The lock slide member includes one cam track, while the other housing has a cam follower projection. As the lock slide member is moved, the cam follower projection projects into the cam track, and the connectors are mated. While the '175 patent employs a camming system, it fails to disclose means with which to suitably align the connectors during the mating process, and further fails to disclose a mechanism to overcome higher mating forces required in multi-pin and multipart connector applications. The slide mechanism of the '175 patent produces a significantly smaller mechanical advantage which may result in an inadequate applied mating force.
None of the previous electrical connector assemblies adequately generate the large mating force required to join male and female multi-pin connector structures while properly aligning the connectors to avoid skewing while they are mated.
What is needed is a new type of electrical connector assembly that provides suitably large mating forces that are substantially constant during the mating process while providing a guided system where the connectors may not be misaligned prior or during the mating process.